Nick Bahe is, so to speak, the new Kansas University walk-on basketball player on the block. Brett Olson, Christian Moody and Stephen Vinson all spent last season with the Jayhawks.

In Bahe’s case, though, experience doesn’t matter that much because all four walk-ons are starting fresh under new coach Bill Self and his staff.

“We’ve talked about that a little bit,” Bahe said, “and the beauty is those guys haven’t experienced this coaching staff, so we’re all in the same boat.”

Self invited Bahe to walk on and he accepted, turning down scholarship offers from a handful of smaller colleges like Boise State and Marist.

“Coach Self said, ‘Your dreams could come true or they couldn’t, so you have to prepare yourself,'” Bahe said.

Bahe was an all-state football quarterback at Lincoln, Neb., Southeast High. His father Ritch and his uncle Chip both played football for the hometown Cornhuskers. But the 6-foot-2, 180-pounder opted for KU basketball instead.

“Man, I’ve always been a fan,” he said. “Ever since I was little I loved Kansas and Kansas basketball. I’d say it’s every kid’s dream to play at a school like Kansas.”

Bahe, a two-time all-state basketball player at Southeast High, calls it “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to suit up for the Jayhawks.

Former KU coach Roy Williams and his staff began recruiting Bahe during his junior year when he averaged 20 points a game and hit a state-record 58 straight free throws.

He was offered walk-on slots at Creighton and Nebraska. Creighton coach Dana Altman said he would have put Bahe on full scholarship after a year.

Bahe was adamant about KU.

“We had season tickets to every single Nebraska football game, and I’ve been to darn near every one,” Bahe said. “But you’ve got to ask yourself what you’re most passionate about.”